Get Carter
by Bekki Beekeeper
Summary: One simple order yields one utterly stupid response in a combat situation offworld, leading an infuriated O'Neill towards courtmartial. SJ.
1. Get Carter

**Name:** Get Carter  
**Part:** 1 of 3  
**Pairing:** Sam/Jack  
**Feedback:** Please do feedback! With each of my stories I try to explore areas I haven't previously experienced, and this one is no different.  
**Notes:** Despite appearances, this is NOT a cross-over or a parody. Just wanted to make that clear.  
**Thanks to:** HTaft, who has unwittingly become my new beta!

**Disclaimer:** _Stargate SG-1 and the characters are the property of MGM et al. There is no infringement intended and no profit made._

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**Part 1**  
_Get Carter_

Gunfire from all sides; echoes ricocheting off the curved walls of a domed room. Thousands of tiny explosions did their best to smother the all-important orders issued from one officer to another. They drowned the vital information exchanged from soldier to soldier, scientist to scientist. Daniel wasn't even in here anymore. Somehow he'd ended up outside, down behind the barricades beside Carter; a zat in one hand, a nine millimetre in the other. Teal'c was outside, too. Constantly on the move, the Jaffa warrior sought vantage points from which to offer support to his Tau'ri comrades. SG-9 and SG-22 were out there with them, giving it their best.

And he should be out there too, dammit, but someone had to co-ordinate this defensive.

"Colonel!" A young lieutenant was rushing towards him, almost tripping over himself in his urgency. "Captain Rhea just radioed in, our position is about to be overrun!"

"Negative, Lieutenant!" O'Neill barked over the din. "We can't let those snake-heads get a hold on our dugout, do you understand me? We won't let them!"

"No, sir, we won't, sir!"

"Then get back out there!"

"Yes, sir!"

O'Neill span on the spot towards the tiled pit at the centre of the room. Once upon a time it had been smooth and cool and gleaming; now it was blemished with scorch marks from the Jaffa scout party that had found them here. A couple of scientists had sustained minor injuries; Daniel's hair was singed thanks to a close call with a staff blast. It was a miracle no-one had been more seriously hurt.

"Harman, I want good news!"

"Can't give you any right now, Colonel," the scientist yelled back. "The darn thing still won't respond to any activation attempt and the device Major Carter rigged up is ready to go at any second!"

Jack didn't bother to mute his curse. He looked around for free hands. Apart from Major Harman, SG-22's second-in-command, O'Neill was the only officer in the room; the rest were outside in the line of fire. The men and women here were civilians, scientists, working desperately on the archaeological and technological find of the century. It had all started out so promisingly; he should have known it would lead them to disaster.

"Wow, Jack, it's really heating up around here! How would you guys phrase it? Oh yeah – the situation is escalating! How's that for military lingo?"

"I told you to keep the hell outta the way, Colburn," Jack growled, rounding on him. "In case you hadn't noticed, our butts are on the line here and we can't afford you screwing up our chances of _staying alive_."

"Oh, but Jack, I couldn't miss out on all this – this – this action!"

Ferdinand Colburn Jr., the most irritating man in the galaxy – and Jack O'Neill had seen enough of the galaxy to know that statement wasn't hyperbole. Presently, the man beamed a smile at him, bouncing happily on the balls of his feet.

"What do you think this is, some kind of _game_?" Jack snarled. "People, good people, are risking their lives outside those doors." He jerked his thumb over his shoulder violently. "The only reason you're not out there with them is that I know for a _fact_ you'd jeopardise their safety by doing something unimaginably stupid. It's got nothing to do with Daddy's precious influence keeping you secure, so if I were you, kid, I'd damn well do as I'm told. Now _stop wasting my time_."

He shoved the lanky twenty-something aside at the same moment sparks erupted in the pit. Cries of alarm added to the already deafening layers of sound that filled the room, and as O'Neill looked, he saw that Harman had pulled a female scientist out of the way just in time.

"What the hell was _that_?" O'Neill demanded as the smoke cleared.

"Overload, sir!" Harman exclaimed; there was a definite note of panic in his voice. "Major Carter's buffer just short-circuited from the energy build-up – Colonel, if we don't cut the power, the naquadah in the core is going to explode and take us with it."

"What?" O'Neill yelled. "That thing's our only chance of staying alive here, Major!"

"I understand that, Colonel, but without any kind of buffer…"

O'Neill didn't wait for him to finish. He turned back towards the only man in the room who wasn't staving off their imminent demise and bellowed, "_Get Carter!_"

Unfortunately, that man happened to be Colburn.

He gave a goofy grin. "Hey, isn't that a movie?"

O'Neill couldn't believe it. He actually could not believe it. Staring, he found the man was standing there, just standing there, an inane grin slapped across his face. Then Jack realised something else: _he was waiting for an answer._

There wasn't time to rage; there wasn't time for Jack to say anything to convey exactly how infuriated, incredulous and incensed he felt at that moment. With a passionate anger in his eyes, O'Neill raised his sidearm.

The smile vanished from Colburn's face.

"Um…"

"Don't. Just… don't." Jack's voice was dangerously low and yet Colburn caught every word in utmost clarity. "Get. Carter." He clicked back the safety, the threat raw in his eyes.

And at that moment Daniel stumbled in through the doors, hastily bandaging his left hand. "Jack!" he called, "Sam sent me to ask–" He stopped. Having been concentrating on his burnt hand, he hadn't noticed the scene at first; now he was confronted with Jack holding their civilian guest at gunpoint.

"Whoa, Jack, what's going on?"

Before O'Neill could offer a vicious reply, Major Harman cried, "The buffer won't come back online! Colonel, we have to cut power!"

"Negative!" Jack yelled. "Daniel! Get Carter!"

The archaeologist did not hesitate: he knew a crisis situation when he saw one. Moments later he returned with Sam hot on his heels. She had no time to question what her commanding officer was doing: Harman beckoned her over urgently – "Major! The core buffer disconnected itself!" – and she ran to join the desperate work in the pit.

"Jack–"

"Don't bother, Daniel." He lowered his weapon and nudged the safety back into place before turning to watch his second-in-command in action. She was giving orders in that way he loved: with knowledge that gave her authority, with urgency that made her impossible to dispute.

"How's our line of defence holding up out there, Daniel?" he asked without taking his eyes off Carter.

"Not so great," Daniel admitted. "Reed's in a bad state and Morris got injured pulling him to cover. They're closing in, Jack; I don't think we can hold them off for much longer."

Jack fixed his gaze on the alien device Sam was handling and cursed it.

"If Carter can't get that thing to work, this whole place is gonna blow anyway," he said grimly; "then, we'll have nothing to worry about."

He turned so suddenly Colburn jumped again. He had been backing towards the wall and now he froze, but O'Neill wasn't interested in him – he strode straight passed the pale youth. Once outside, O'Neill ran up the bank and threw himself down on the ground where Carter and Daniel had abandoned their positions. Teal'c was there, firing steady shots from his staff weapon, scattering and disrupting their enemies' advance.

Jack didn't speak a word. He just fired round after round, taking down row after row of Jaffa, not allowing any thought, fear or hope to arise in his mind. He concerned himself solely with the next wave of the advancing army. They just kept coming.

And then Carter was beside him and his thoughts rushed back into being; he tried to stem their flow but they were just as loud, just as insistent as the never-ending gunfire that rattled around his ears.

"I've bought us some more time," she told him as he paused to reload, voice raised over the noises of battle. "Daniel's helping with the translations."

"Good," he called back, taking aim again. Then: "INCOMING!"

Carter's head went down but Jack could see it wasn't going to be enough; he grabbed her vest and rolled with her sideways; he felt the force of the explosion and it caused them to slip back down the muddy slope towards the building, debris pelting them from above like vicious rain.

Jack raised his head and found Sam breathing heavily in his arms. He had clutched her close to protect her from the blast and the pressure of her body against his ensured his shortness of breath.

"Y'alright?"

Despite everything, she endeavoured to smile and suddenly he realised he really didn't want to let her go – but he had to.

"Yes sir," she nodded, shaken, "thank you."

He risked a brief smile and a moment later they were back on the ridge together, Teal'c alongside them, fighting for survival. Suddenly Daniel was there too – "We managed to get the symbols to correspond! Major Harman is activating the device now!" – and Jack's sense of balance was restored. Colburn's ignorance meant nothing now. O'Neill was here with his team, hope unfolding in the building behind… but it wasn't over yet.

He barked out an order and around the ridge soldiers obeyed, aiming their fire so as to drive the Jaffa in to close ranks. This was a risk – the Jaffa had a chance to regroup and press on up the hill with more success – but no-one questioned him.

He waited as the others continued to fire around him. Then he unclipped something from his belt – their last grenade – and hurled it into the crowd of enemy soldiers. The effect caused instant disarray.

"Colonel!"

Carter was pointing back towards the building. A dramatic pillar of light rose upwards out of the domed roof, a forceshield arcing out over the circular ridge surrounding the building; then a sudden pulse swept across the valley and the entire army of Jaffa was destroyed.

"So that's what it does," Jack mumbled. A smile curved Sam's lips; she had tried to explain the device's function numerous times but the Colonel just hadn't been listening.

"Jack!"

Jack turned and sighed loudly as Colburn burst out of the dome building. "Jack!" he cried again, "we… we've got to go! It's… it's gonna…"

Clambering up the hill, Colburn was too breathless to speak properly; he panted heavily as he came to a halt in front of an impatient O'Neill.

"_What_? It's going to _what_?"

"Explode!" Major Harman shouted from below: "get out of here! The impulse blew all the circuits, all the controls!"

"Colonel," Carter added earnestly, "there's no telling the extent of the explosion with these kinds of energy levels."

"Everyone – _move_! Now!"

No-one stopped to think; no-one stopped to ask how they were supposed to break through the force shield trap they had made for themselves. They just ran. Soldiers and scientists fled side-by-side from the building, skidding down the bank into the valley. Harman supported Morris whilst Teal'c had Reed flung over his shoulder. After that, the journey back to the Stargate was consumed with the blur of panic and adrenaline, and no-one was quite sure how they got through the shield at all. Carter and Harman speculated, but no-one really knew.

They rendezvoused with Captain Rhea's team at the Gate and made it through before the blast hit. Once home, the four teams were so washed over with the sudden relief of safety that they lingered, dazed, at the bottom of the ramp. Morris and Reed were rushed to the Infirmary; the others followed on the prompting of General Hammond.

At first nobody said a word. Then, slowly, the realisation of their victory began to take effect. The Jaffa army had been annihilated but they, the good guys, were home and dry. Someone laughed at a nurse's joke about their blood pressure; his team mate joined in with the banter; then the whole Infirmary was suddenly crowded with conversation, full of the wonder and light humour that characterised their relief.

Jack alone didn't speak. He sat on the edge of his bed, forming a mental barrier around himself, a purposeful isolation from the rest of his men. As soon as his medical was complete, he stood up, grabbed his jacket and left the room.

Sam watched him go. It worried her that not a word had been spoken between them since they had leapt through the Gate, side-by-side. She remembered him so close behind, urging her passed the DHD and into the event horizon. She cast her mind back further and remembered him on the ridge, mowing down row after row of Jaffa. She remembered him as they tumbled down the slope; remembered herself landing unhurt and secure in his arms.

Sam caught Daniel's eye with an anxious look. Teal'c, too, shared in their moment of concern, but the three members of SG-1 were soon swept back into the others' jubilation as SG teams 5, 9 and 22 began to sing a very earnest victory song.

----------

They didn't see O'Neill again until the debriefing. Daniel had made an attempt to find him, and the fact he was unsuccessful could only mean Jack didn't want to be found. His late appearance in the briefing room elicited a sharp reprimand from Hammond, but when Jack didn't answer the General allowed the briefing to continue without further reproach. It was a matter to be dealt with later.

The briefing was carried by Captain Rhea and Major Harman, with contributions from Carter and Daniel regarding the device. Teal'c also gave his tactical assessment, commenting on the Jaffa's archaic tactics. It was therefore likely, he said, that they were dealing with a fairly inexperienced minor Goa'uld who had been seeking the device as his way to power.

O'Neill was the first to rise at the completion of the debriefing, but Hammond was quick to call him back.

"A word in my office, Colonel."

Sam waited for Jack to slide a look back to the rest of his team, but the wordless exasperation never came. Instead, he stuffed his hands into his pockets and followed the General into his office. The door was closed.

Daniel stood with a slight frown. "Something we're missing?" he guessed, rounding the end of the table slowly to join Sam and Teal'c with a perplexed glance towards the General's office.

"Yeah, apparently." Sam was watching closely as Hammond gestured for Jack to sit. O'Neill declined. "I don't understand it. All our primary mission objectives were achieved."

"And it's not like we lost anyone, either," Daniel added. "Doctor Fraiser said Lieutenant Reed is going to be fine and Captain Morris would already be up and about if she hadn't ordered him three days' bedrest."

"Then perhaps the outcome of the mission is of little significance," Teal'c suggested in his deep, wise tones; "perhaps there is another matter with which O'Neill is concerned."

"Maybe," Sam sighed. They had seen Jack like this before, and his black moods always had their root causes; unfortunately, he never volunteered that information willingly. "Daniel, how was he after you left the Infirmary?"

"I didn't find him," Daniel replied with a bewildered kind of shrug. "I tried all the places I could think of. I thought maybe he'd gone back to his quarters after a shower or something. I was knocking on his door for ages; I guess he was ignoring me."

That was not a good sign. When Jack didn't want to be disturbed, everyone knew about it -- he would rather shout it from the rooftops than hold his silence. Sam would have expected Daniel's insistent knocking to have provoked some kind of response: a glare from the doorway, a yell from inside. Even now his responses to the General seemed too few.

If he was hoping to keep withdrawn from his team, though, he would be disappointed. They knew him too well to allow his silence to pass them by.

----------

George Hammond's gaze was fixed squarely on the man in front of him. There were few that would not wither beneath that stern glare, but Jack O'Neill seemed to have perfected the art: jaw set and expression blank, eye line secured on an invisible spot on the wall straight ahead.

It was one of two reactions the General had been anticipating.

The first had been an animated denial of everything, permeated with small truths and reluctant confessions that would eventually culminate in something close to the full story. The second had been this.

Of course, as soon as O'Neill had entered the debriefing, it had been obvious to George that he was dealing with Reaction Two. He had prepared himself accordingly, adamant that Jack would not leave his office before a suitable response passed through his pursed lips.

"Have a seat, Colonel." George gave a gracious gesture towards the chair on the other side of his desk.

"What's he said?"

The demand hung in the air over George's desk.

"Enough to warrant a few questions, Colonel," George replied after a moment. "I'd like to know what happened out there and why you didn't contribute anything to the debriefing."

"Harman and Rhea debriefed you," Jack answered. "There was nothing for me to add."

"No threats to a civilian life?" Hammond challenged. Jack's expression didn't alter and George considered the moment before saying, "Sit down, Jack."

This time the invitation was an order and even in his obstinance Jack found it irrefutable. He sat, slumping down low in the wooden frame. His eyes peered out at the General from beneath a darkened brow.

"I spoke to Ferdinand Colburn," George told him. "You may have noticed his absence from the debriefing. He is currently in the Infirmary, being treated for shock."

Again, no response. George leaned forward and clasped his hands on his desk. "He appears to be under the impression that you threatened to shoot him."

"I threaten to shoot a lot of people."

"With a drawn gun, Colonel!" Hammond's voice was suddenly a lot sharper. His eyes were narrowed slightly, scrutinising every visible reaction on Jack's face. "He is not one of your officers to discipline -- he is the son of one of the Joint Chiefs of Staff!"

"I don't give a _damn_ whose son--"

"Neither do I, Colonel, but let me tell you something: his father sure does. You threatened to mortally wound a civilian under your protection."

"Under my _protection_?" O'Neill repeated, his stony-faced mask finally vanishing. He was now sitting straightened up in his chair, fierce defiance in his eyes. "Since when does my team act as a bodyguard on some kid's sight-seeing tour of the galaxy?"

"He was your responsibility."

"My team is my responsibility!" Jack answered back, rising abruptly from his chair. "Every mission he has been on he has put my team at risk!"

"Sit _down_, Colonel."

Slowly, anger smouldering in his deep coal eyes, Jack lowered himself back into his seat. Hammond allowed him a moment to seethe, then said,

"Colburn and his father want a formal apology."

"Then Colburn and his father can go straight to hell."

"In that case I'm sorry, Jack," George sighed. The regret in his voice was wholly genuine. "I have no choice but to take disciplinary action. You are hereby suspended from duty until further notice. You are not under arrest but you must remain in Colorado Springs. Is that clear?"

Jack looked at him for a long time. Then, slowly, calmly, he nodded. He got to his feet, and a moment later strode out of the door and into the Briefing Room, where the rest of his team waited. Sam took a step towards him -- "Colonel?" -- but he passed her without so much as a token glance.

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_**A/N:** I hope you enjoyed that, and I hope you'll stick with the story through the next two parts. In the second chapter, Sam, Daniel and Teal'c try to talk some sense into a resolute Jack O'Neill..._


	2. Reason & Regulation

**Name:** Get Carter  
**Part:** 2 of 3  
**Pairing:** Sam/Jack  
**Feedback:** Please do feedback! With each of my stories I try to explore areas I haven't previously experienced, and this one is no different.** I can't thank you enough for the feedback received for Part 1! Your response was overwhelming and greatly appreciated.**

**Disclaimer:** _Stargate SG-1 and the characters are the property of MGM et al. There is no infringement intended and no profit made._

* * *

**Part 2**  
_Reason & Regulation_

"You're kidding," Daniel blurted out in disbelief. "He's going to be put on trial?"

Teal'c's brow darkened as Sam nodded soberly. The three members of SG-1 were gathered in Daniel's lab, discussing the unfortunate turn of events. Sam, having just returned from General Hammond's office, found herself reporting nothing but bad news.

"Ferdinand Colburn's father wants to press charges," she said: "improper conduct and unjustifiable treatment of a civilian."

Teal'c enquired: "What evidence has he to substantiate these claims?"

Sam slumped down on a nearby stool and closed her eyes with a sigh, gesturing for Daniel to explain. She had forgotten Teal'c hadn't been there to witness Jack's display of unprovoked aggression.

"When I injured my hand, Sam sent me back inside to ask Jack about the buffer," Daniel said. "I found him pointing a gun at Colburn. The guy looked scared to death, like Jack really was going to shoot him. Major Harman shouted something about the device and Jack yelled at me to get Sam. The situation sounded pretty serious, so I did. We came back in, Sam went to help Harman… Jack was still there holding the gun. I started trying to talk some sense into him but he told me not to bother and lowered the weapon. Then he asked how things were holding up outside, almost as if nothing had happened."

"I spoke to Major Harman a few minutes ago," Sam told them, folding her arms and leaning forward onto Daniel's desk. "He was waiting outside the General's office. As far as he's aware, Colburn did nothing to warrant that kind of reaction from Colonel O'Neill."

"Well, he must have done something," Daniel replied.

"Indeed," Teal'c agreed. "I do not believe O'Neill would conduct himself in such a manner without firm reasoning."

"Neither do I," said Sam, "and neither does General Hammond. He's given Colonel O'Neill two weeks' leave to give him time to reconsider his refusal to issue a formal apology."

"If Jack's decided something, thinking about it isn't going to change his mind," Daniel replied. "If anything he'll become more convinced he's right. What will happen if he doesn't apologise, and he's court-martialled?"

Sam paused. She didn't like having to give these answers; didn't like having to voice them, make them into real possibilities. She sighed. "Colonel O'Neill will be disciplined. He'll probably be removed from his position as CO of SG-1. He may even be forced out of the SGC."

"What? But that'd be like kicking him out of the Air Force altogether!" Daniel exclaimed. "We can't let that happen."

"I know," Sam replied. "That's why General Hammond has asked us to try and talk him round."

Teal'c considered this carefully in the way he always did, head angled in thought. "That may be a long and arduous task," he said, deep foreboding in his tone. "And yet it seems we cannot afford to fail."

They all agreed to that. Deciding they could do nothing until they'd all had a good night's sleep, they deferred any efforts till the next morning, when they hoped Jack would be calm enough to listen.

It was not to be.

"I gave him an _order_, Carter."

O'Neill's words invaded the air between them, full of force and firm resolve. Sam matched his stony glare with a determined look, letting his words settle atop the coffee table before offering her reply.

"So he defied it. We all defy orders from time to time. Besides, he's not even military."

"No, Carter, you never defy orders," Jack returned, and for some reason it felt like an accusation. "Daniel's not military – _he_ follows orders. Okay, so he pushes the boundaries sometimes, but Colburn…" He shook his head and repeated, "I gave him an order. A direct order."

"And that was reason enough to pull a weapon?" Sam questioned. "Colonel, it wasn't even a zat you were threatening him with."

"So I went for the left holster instead of the right," Jack retorted, waving her point aside, "what difference does it make?"

"With respect, sir," Sam replied, "it makes all the difference. One shot from a zat stuns. One shot from a Beretta kills."

"I'm your commanding officer, Carter. I don't have to explain myself to you." He turned away from her slightly as he said it, but his sharp tone didn't relent. He regretted it the next moment when her voice portrayed injury.

"No, _sir_, you don't," Sam threw back, stung. She paused a moment to gather herself, then strode round the coffee table to remove his physical safeguard. He turned back to her as she challenged, "But I know you always have a reason. We're putting together all we can in your defence."

"Big whoop," Jack answered, snubbing her attempts at reconciliation. "I'm sure Daniel's putting together his award-winning rhetoric as we speak."

"Colonel."

And suddenly he was that much more irritated. She had come here to offer him some kind of support, and here she was, calling him _Colonel_.

"You want a reason?" Jack snapped, rounding on her. "He defied an order. I overreacted."

Not to be warded off by the flaring of Jack's fury, Sam didn't move. They were standing close now, and Sam realised that she should be feeling more threatened by this than she was. She found his darkened gaze and held it. The anger burned between them.

"I don't buy it, sir."

There was a long and ominous pause. At first she thought he was going to shout and snarl; then the cold silence lengthened and she realised she would have preferred it if he had. His eventual reply was shot through with icy finality.

"Well, that's your choice, Carter," he told her. "Now I think your soon to be ex-CO wants to get some rest, so if you don't mind…"

Sam didn't even try to respond to that. Jack sank down onto the sofa behind him and kicked back, draping an arm over his face to decisively block her out. Smothering her own anger at his stubbornness, Sam turned on her heel and left.

Jack opened his eyes and sat up slowly. He could see her through the open door, marching away down the path. She slid gracefully into her car, and though she didn't look back, he could see the hurt on her face being reflected in the paintwork.

In his heart, he almost apologised; then he caught himself, and his eyes harshened their resolve once more.

-------------

Daniel emerged from the kitchen of his apartment into the living room with a fresh pot of coffee. He paused, casting an enquiring look towards Teal'c. The Jaffa warrior hadn't moved from the balcony window since Sam had called, feeling more content with sentry duty than submitting to the enticing comfort of Daniel's sofa.

"You don't have to keep watch, Teal'c," Daniel told him, setting the coffee pot down on the table. Teal'c didn't reply, apparently considering it an attempt to coerce him into the sofa's devious grasp. Daniel rolled his eyes and sat down, refreshing his coffee cup. He considered the caffienated substance for a moment, then poured a drink for Sam. By the sounds of her phone call, she would be needing it.

Daniel took a sip of his own coffee and settled back onto the sofa. He closed his eyes briefly, enjoying the taste; he opened them again as Teal'c spoke.

"Major Carter has arrived."

Daniel replaced his mug on its coaster and stood to join Teal'c at the window. Below, Sam slammed her car door closed.

A minute or two later, she was sitting beside Daniel, a coffee cup in her grasp. She let out a long, controlled breath.

"He wouldn't listen," she said, the annoyance still sharp in her tone. "Completely blocked me out."

"What did he say?" asked Daniel curiously, reaching across the table for a biscuit. "Cookie?"

"No," Sam replied, smiling briefly at the offer, "thanks. He just said that Colburn defied an order and he overreacted – but if that's all there is to it, why doesn't he just apologise?"

"Well, you know Jack," Daniel answered as Teal'c advanced on the plate of cookies with a suspicious eye. "And anyway, no-one likes to admit it when they're wrong."

"But that's exactly what he _is_ doing," Sam protested after another sip of coffee. "He's willing to take the punishment without even trying to attest his innocence."

There was a slight pause as they watched Teal'c pick off one of the weaker cookies of the pack.

"Perhaps O'Neill simply believes that the truth would amount to little gain," he said, inspecting his catch. "And yet he cannot conceive to give a false apology to one who does not deserve it."

"Sounds like Jack," Daniel remarked.

"Why won't he let us help him?" asked Sam, still jilted by her commander's rebuff. Teal'c had no answer for that, so took a decisive bite from his cookie instead. Daniel hastened to offer him a plate as a wave of crumbs rained down on the carpet.

"You tell me," Daniel shrugged; "you spoke to him. Maybe he just doesn't think it'd do any of us any good. If Teal'c's right, he might not think we _can_ help."

"But we're a _team_!" Sam exclaimed, sitting up in earnest. "We've been through more than this before."

There was another thoughtful pause as Teal'c consumed the rest of his cookie. Daniel finally stood up and began to collect together the empty coffee cups.

"So, assuming there's some deeper meaning to all this," he said, "how are we supposed to get to the bottom of it?"

Teal'c held out his plate of crumbs and replied: "Allow me to speak with him."

Sam looked up at the black man's sober expression and nodded. "Be my guest, Teal'c," she told him wearily. Then she turned to Daniel, and asked him for another cup of coffee.

-----------

Jack's house was a mess.

This in itself was no great surprise; Jack rarely made any special effort to tidy, though he liked to ensure things were in order during his work-related 'absences'. Still, there was something unusual about the sheer amount of half-finished activities lying abandoned around the house.

Since Sam's visit, Jack had spent his time trying to distract himself; since Sam's visit, Jack had spent his time trying not to think.

When he _did_ begin to think – which was inevitable, even for Jack – he was caught between self-assurance and a nagging guilt. He was right in upholding his morals. He was right in protecting her. So why did he feel so awkward?

The answer was perhaps in the fact that he had been so convinced that Sam would side with Colburn. When she had arrived bringing waves of support, it had thrown him. Why had she been so confident that there was a deeper cause for his actions? Why hadn't she rebuked him with reason and regulation, as he'd expected she would?

Jack slammed the fridge door closed in frustration. He set his beer down on the counter and removed the bottle top almost violently before gulping down as much as he could. He was going to lose his job and it was all Colburn's fault.

Jack caught himself and, taking the bottle away from his lips, lapsed into yet another phase of self-induced guilt-tripping. He remembered Sam's face as he'd told her to leave. She hadn't deserved that and he wished he could bring himself apologise.

When the doorbell rang, it came as both a disappointment and a relief to find that it was Teal'c on the doorstep.

"O'Neill." The hat he was wearing almost made the large man look comical, but the gravity of his voice and his expression prevented Jack from seeing the funny side.

"Teal'c," he said, intoning his surprise. Teal'c looked at his friend's ruffled greying hair and asked,

"Have I woken you?"

"Uh, no." Jack raised a hand to flatten the rebellious tufts of hair but they sprang back into place almost instantly. He had spent half the afternoon lying on the sofa with a beer and a couple of bad TV movies. He stepped away from the doorway and added, "Come in."

Teal'c bowed his head slowly and stepped smoothly over the threshold. Jack went ahead of him into the living room, grabbing the more conspicuous evidence of his lethargy. The rubbish reminded him that he should start recycling someday. _Maybe after I've retired_, he thought grimly.

"Carter send you?" he asked as he stuffed the wrappers and empty plastic containers into the bin.

"I came of my own free will, O'Neill," Teal'c replied, and it was impossible to tell whether he was being defensive or just stating the fact.

"But you've spoken to her, right?" Jack asked, sitting down heavily in his armchair.

"That is correct."

"Figures."

Teal'c considered this cynical response, then sat down slowly on the edge of the sofa. "I am here as your friend, O'Neill," he said. "I pose no threat to the decision you have made. I merely wish to understand it."

"There's nothing _to_ understand," Jack replied, with feeling. "Colburn deserved a very real threat because somehow he couldn't grasp the very _imminent_ threat back on that ridge. Hopefully Daddy has also realised that sometimes we can't all come back smelling of roses. Sometimes we have to get our hands dirty just to _survive_ out there. And frankly, I am finished with adhering to a code of conduct that could get my men killed."

Teal'c listened, and as a former commander, he understood.

"Y'know, this wouldn't have happened if Colburn's father wasn't top dog in the military," Jack continued. "Hammond would have put a stop to it. I did what I had to do to keep my men alive and if I get punished for it, then fine. I am sick and tired of the government treating us like freakin' _handpuppets_! I am not going to fold to them, Teal'c, I am not gonna let them win!"

Teal'c had already formed his response, but he let the pause stretch out before offering his answer. Eventually he replied: "Is not your removal from SG-1 the bigger victory, O'Neill?"

Jack could not deny the truth in that statement. He sighed.

"Yeah, well, maybe," he muttered, trying not to care. "But hey. My retirement is long overdue."

It was beyond Teal'c to understand why his friend was giving up so easily. Earth politics meant nothing to him; there was only one thing that mattered to a rebel Jaffa warrior, and he voiced it. "The battle against the Goa'uld is not yet won."

"Nope, you're right," Jack agreed, hauling himself to his feet. "But somehow I don't think the galaxy will be at that much of a disadvantage without me."

"I do not agree."

"You don't have to, Teal'c." His tone was characterised by the same finality he had used with Sam. Teal'c heard it.

"Very well," he said, and rose to his feet. He bowed his head calmly and left with swift, dignified strides. Jack sighed and took another swig of beer. Two down, one to go. He wondered what arguments Daniel would come up with.

"Why can't they accept my decision?" he muttered to himself. "Why do they have to be so darn difficult?"

He knew the answer to that, but it was easier to blame their stubbornness rather than acknowledge his own. Becoming aware he was once again dangerously unoccupied, he began to tidy the overcrowded coffee table. The worst thing he could do now was start thinking again.

----------

Daniel hadn't hoped to gain much from his visit the next day. After Teal'c's lack of success, he had hardly expected much of a positive result – but he was to be surprised. Jack had become so aggravated by his team mates' questioning (and his own self-doubt) that he presented Daniel with his reasons almost as soon as he walked through the door.

"You wanna know what happened?" Jack demanded. "Wanna know why I overreacted? We were in the middle of a combat situation. The lives of my men were at stake, not to mention the whole damned galaxy. The whole place was about to blow and the only person alive that could stop it was Carter."

He remembered the buffer, the way she had rigged it together with bits from the MALP.

"You and Teal'c were outside; Harman and his scientists were busy staving off imminent death. The only other guy in the room was Colburn.

"I yelled at him to get Carter. All he could do was make some dumb quip about the movie. I lost it."

And now he said it, it sounded like a stupid reason to threaten a man with a gun; but the feelings of disbelief remained with him and he still didn't regret it.

"I was never going to shoot him, Daniel, but he was putting us all at risk just by being there, never mind ridiculing my orders. That man could have got us all killed. I believe that strongly enough not to care about the consequences."

Daniel's answer was sharp. "Even when the consequences mean losing your life at the SGC?"

Jack tried to sound more resolute than he actually felt. "Yes."

"What about SG-1?"

Jack ran his fingers through silvering, untidy hair. "I'm recommending Carter for command. She deserves it."

Sitting in the chair opposite him, something clicked for Daniel. His frown cleared into something resembling comprehension.

"This is about Sam, isn't it?"

Jack's gaze snapped to Daniel's curious face.

"What, you think I'm giving up my job so Carter can get a promotion?"

"No," Daniel replied with a slow shake of his head. "I think you reacted so badly because Colburn made a joke about her."

"Oh, right, so suddenly I felt compelled to defend her honour?" Jack sneered. "Carter can look after herself." There was something bitter in the way he said it.

"I know you hated the way he was around her," Daniel persisted. "This is _Sam_."

"Yes – _Carter_ – a member of my team."

"Give me some credit, Jack!" Daniel exclaimed in response. "And give me some trust. I'm here as your friend."

"Could've fooled me," Jack muttered darkly. Daniel chose to ignore it.

"Are you seriously trying to tell me that if Ferdinand Colburn had made that kind of a joke about me or Teal'c you'd have done the same thing?"

Jack dropped his head, neglecting to answer. Daniel, unwilling to let the pause develop into a silence, continued:

"I think you should talk to her."

"Carter?"

"Yeah."

Jack raised his head. "Oh, I don't think so, Danny."

Daniel sat forward in his chair, frown reinstated. "I don't think you realise how much of an effect you had on her yesterday."

Quick to brush that notion aside, Jack muttered, "Whatever," and began to study the patterns on the ceiling.

"I'm serious, Jack," Daniel replied, trying to recapture his friend's attention by the force of his tone. "Anyway, I still don't believe you really don't care about your place at the SGC."

"Why?" asked Jack, shifting his gaze back to the archaeologist. "Think I'll regret it?"

"Yeah. I think you will."

Whatever witty response Jack had for that was chased away by the fact that Daniel was right. He would regret it.

Daniel stood and surveyed Jack's expression. Then he said: "I'll make a deal with you."

"A deal?"

"Yeah. You talk to Sam. Resolve whatever it is that's making you willing to give up SG-1. Meanwhile, I'm going to have a word with Ferdinand Colburn, Jr."

"I'm not apologising," Jack told him quickly.

"To Colburn, or to Sam?"

The words rang in Jack's ears as a stark challenge. Daniel gave him a look as if to say, 'it's up to you.' Eventually, Jack gave a sigh and a reluctant nod.

"Sam's staying at her house tonight, but she'll be going back to the SGC in the morning," Daniel told him. "I'll let you know what Colburn has to say for himself."

And Daniel made his way quickly out of the door, not willing to risk giving Jack the chance to change his mind.

* * *

_**A/N:** Ooh, I loved writing this part! I hope it's continued to be realistic and in-character. Thanks again for your feedback and I'm really hoping you'll keep me going with some more!_


	3. Getting Through

**Name:** Get Carter  
**Part:** 3 of 3  
**Pairing:** Sam/Jack  
**Feedback:** Please do feedback! With each of my stories I try to explore areas I haven't previously experienced, and this one is no different. **You people are amazing! Thank you so much for your support and reviews.**

**Disclaimer:** _Stargate SG-1 and the characters are the property of MGM et al. There is no infringement intended and no profit made._

* * *

**Part 3**  
_Getting Through_

"…_pretty much volunteered to give me an explanation. I think Teal'c must've gotten through to him somehow: I'd only asked him how he was doing. Apparently it was Colburn's fault for constantly putting us all at risk. Anyway, I'm heading back to the SGC tonight, so I guess I'll tell you about it in the morning. Bye, Sam_."

_Beep._

_End of message._

Sam glanced over at her answering machine and reluctantly pressed one of the buttons. Jack's stony face and fiery eyes flashed across her vision. She sighed, the message deleted.

Sometimes it hurt that he could talk to Daniel and Teal'c at times like this and not her. She accepted that their friendships were different: he and Daniel had bonds that went back to the first mission to Abydos; Teal'c shared his warrior-like spirit. But she was a warrior, too.

At first she had been able to understand it. After all, things had been different from the beginning, their military standing forming a firm line between them. He was her commanding officer: she had never expected him to confide his deepest emotions or share his darkest moments. Then they had saved Earth, saved the galaxy, saved each other. Gradually the line had weakened and shifted. Now they were closer than that. Now they were friends.

And still he couldn't confide in her.

She scolded herself whenever she became vulnerable to this train of thought, always turning back to the assertion that he was still her commanding officer. They were friends, yes, but she was his second-in-command and there was a formality about their relationship that had to be maintained.

By morning, Sam was still failing to put such thoughts aside. Sitting in her lab, she was finding it difficult to apply her full attention to any one task; when Daniel appeared, it was a welcome distraction.

"Daniel," she called, noticing him before he even had chance to knock.

"Hey, Sam," Daniel smiled from the doorway. "Get my message?"

"Yeah," Sam replied, trying to look more cheerful about it than she felt. "I'm glad Colonel O'Neill felt he could explain his side of things." It was partially true.

Daniel nodded but was swift to move on. "I'm just off to talk to Colburn with Teal'c. Thought I'd drop by to see how you're doing."

"I'll come with you," Sam offered, neatly avoiding a direct answer.

"Actually," Daniel replied as she stood, "you might want to hang around here for a while. Jack left me a message to say he'll be in this morning. I think he wants to talk to you."

"Oh?" Sam tried to sound nonchalant. "Any idea why?"

"You know, he didn't really say," Daniel replied evasively. "Anyway, Teal'c's waiting…"

"Right," Sam nodded, deciding in spite of herself to rescue him from floundering. "Let me know how it goes?"

"Sure." Daniel smiled and strode meaningfully away down the corridor. Sam frowned, sinking slowly back down onto her stool; but before she had even begun to read into the significance of his visit, she was aware of someone else waiting for her attention. She looked up. It was Jack.

"Colonel."

"Carter," Jack acknowledged, his gaze travelling around the doorframe. "I don't suppose you have a moment?" He seemed to be hoping that she was too busy to take the time to hear him, but they both knew that was never the case.

"Uh, yeah. I mean, of course, sir – come in."

He winced at the sound of her defensive front, the formality that came through with her tone. He took one step over the threshold and paused there, hands dug deep into jeans pockets.

"Come from home?" Sam asked, doing her best to strike up a flow of conversation in the static atmosphere.

"Yeah." Jack glanced down at the plain grey t-shirt he had thrown on just an hour before. "Cassie says this shirt matches my hair, but I don't see it."

Sam couldn't help it: she smiled, and Jack took the opportunity to step further into her cluttered lab. "About the other day…" he began, and faltered.

"It's okay, sir," Sam replied swiftly. "I understand."

He looked at her for a moment. "You do?"

"Yessir," she answered in her well-practiced tone of calm respect. "You're my commanding officer. It was just easier to talk to Daniel and Teal'c as friends."

"Wait, what?"

"It's not hard to figure out, sir," Sam told him: "they're not military. You've known Daniel since Abydos and you've always been closer to Teal'c."

"Hey, no – that's not it."

"In any case, as an Air Force officer present at the incident I could be called upon to give evidence against you…"

"Carter."

"…so speaking to me about it might put you in a difficult position, making the situation worse…"

"Carter! Shut up and listen, will you?"

She was startled enough to stop talking; Jack ran his fingers through his hair with a grimace.

"You think too much," he sighed.

"Sorry, sir."

"You also apologise too much!" Jack exclaimed, frustrated. "I mean, jeez Carter, I'm the one who came here wanting to tell you how sorry I am. What have you got to apologise for?"

He sat down heavily on a nearby stool, gaze sweeping the equipment on Sam's desk. She waited, tight-lipped and rebuffed, and if he'd had the courage to meet her eyes he would have found himself just as stung as she felt.

"I didn't mean for it to seem like I don't trust you," Jack said finally. "I trust you with my life – you know that. None of this is to do with levels of trust or friendship; what makes you think I'm closer to any one member of this team?" It wasn't a challenge, just a question. Jack went on:

"I had my reasons for threatening Colburn, just as I had my reasons for being willing to accept court-martial without a fuss. Apparently you all know me too well, though, because I haven't been able to hide those reasons well enough."

Sam's expression had softened, but in confusion rather than comprehension. "I don't understand why you feel like you have to hide anything from us," she said.

Jack gave a half-hearted shrug. "I just figured it'd be easier that way."

-----------

The bright white walls of the Infirmary gave off a certain distinctive smell of sterility, but it was a cleanliness that Daniel barely registered. He was so used to being here, whether visiting or being visited, that it was almost a home from home. Of course, he had a few of those – not all of them on this planet.

That fact made Colburn's case all the more frivolous, Daniel realised. For all he had seen, the young man in his hospital bed still hadn't been able to grasp the importance of the SGC's mission – Jack's mission.

"He is awake," Teal'c observed.

"Teal'c?" asked Colburn as he heard the Jaffa's deep voice. Blinking, he sat up, and caught sight of Daniel. "Doctor Jackson. Hi."

Daniel tilted his head and gave a false kind of smile. "Hello, Ferdinand."

Ferdinand returned the smile meekly, gaze shifting nervously between the two members of SG-1 stationed at the foot of his bed.

"I've been on my own here since yesterday evening," he said. "Does that mean everyone's alright?"

"Oh, I wouldn't say that," Daniel replied with an airy sigh, "but if you're wondering about Lieutenant Reed and Captain Morris, then yes, they're fine."

"Have you come to get me out of here, then?" Ferdinand asked, suddenly eager. "Because if you are, that'd be great. I'm dying of boredom!" He let out a little laugh, but it died as soon as he saw Daniel and Teal'c exchange dark looks.

"No, we're here to talk to you," Daniel told him, moving slowly round to sit on the edge of the adjacent bed.

"Look, if this is about Jack…"

Daniel cut him off: "Yes, it is." He paused, then went on: "Colonel O'Neill is going to be court-martialled. Do you know what that means? It means he's probably going to lose his position on SG-1, maybe get thrown out of the SGC altogether."

"I'm sorry about that," Ferdinand began, "I really am…"

"You are not," contradicted Teal'c with disdain. He had no time for Colburn's excuses, much less his insincere apologies.

"I am!" Ferdinand exclaimed, aggrieved. "But that doesn't mean what he did was right."

"And what do you think he did?" Daniel challenged.

"I think he threatened to shoot me!" was Colburn's shrill reply. "He had his gun ready and everything! All I did was make a joke."

"About Major Carter," Teal'c interjected.

"No!" Ferdinand exclaimed, then grimaced. "Well… sort of. It was just the way Jack said it: '_Get Carter_'…"

"So you ridiculed his order," said Daniel.

"It was a joke!"

"Yes," Daniel responded darkly. "A bad one."

------------------

"What I told you before was true," Jack asserted: "Colburn did disobey an order." Now facing Sam across her desk, he was determined to explain himself. "We were in danger of blowing up – there wasn't time to sit down and discuss mission etiquette. I pulled a weapon because that was the only way for Colburn to understand the seriousness of the situation."

He paused for a moment, then caught her gaze to make sure she was listening. "Carter, without you we would have died out there, and all Colburn could do was make a joke about you."

With a slight smile at the force of his indignation, Sam reminded him: "It wouldn't have been for the first time, sir."

"No," Jack agreed grimly, "and I hate that he gets away with it. I can't stand the fact I gave him special treatment because of his father. If it had been anyone else, I'd have struck them off the mission list for good."

"Colonel," Sam replied gently, "you didn't have a choice. General Hammond asked you to accommodate General Colburn's son for the good of the entire SGC."

"And the fact I agreed really sucks, doesn't it?"

Sam shook her head. "None of us could have known he'd be quite that naïve."

"Naïve? He wasn't naïve, Carter," Jack replied, "he was downright stupid. He put us all at risk more than once. As for his obsession with you…" He trailed off, rolling his eyes. Sam tried not to succumb to the colour rising in her cheeks.

"It wasn't an obsession," she protested. Jack snorted.

"Oh, yeah, so he followed you around so he could have a serious discussion about theoretical astrophysics? Give me a break, Carter. He was about ten times as incompetent around you – or have you forgotten the various injuries you sustained in his company?"

"Just a few electrical burns, sir, nothing serious."

"Sh'yeah."

And with that they lapsed into silence for a while, surrounded by the gentle flashing of console lights.

---------

"Look, Doctor Jackson, I'm not a military person," Ferdinand said, trying in vain to defend himself. "Didn't you find it difficult when you first joined SG-1, to fit into all that?"

"I won't pretend it was easy," Daniel replied honestly. "The military mentality sometimes leaves something to be desired, but… in the end, all you have to remember is to keep your head down and follow orders." The implication being that Colburn had done neither, which was absolutely true.

"How was I supposed to do that on a totally new planet?" Ferdinand asked, shifting to sit up further. "It's unbelievable out there! Even when we were getting shot at. I mean, just the fact that there's someone out there to shoot at us… who'd have thought there were races out there with technology to match ours?"

"On the contrary," said Teal'c; "Goa'uld technology is far in advance of the technology of the Tau'ri."

"Teal'c's got a point," Daniel told Ferdinand. "Sometimes it's just too dangerous to stand and stare." Daniel allowed a moment for that to sink in, then said:

"Listen, Ferdinand, believe me when I say I understand how incredible it feels to go out into the galaxy and have an adventure. No matter how many times I step through the Stargate, I am always utterly amazed by what I find. But one thing you can never, ever do out there is forget the risk. I admit, I get close to it sometimes, but that's what team mates are for, to pull you back into line. You forgot the risk, and because of that you put us all in danger."

"I didn't mean to!" Ferdinand protested, the guilt dawning over his young face.

"I know," Daniel assured, "but it isn't fair for you to blame Colonel O'Neill for doing what needed to be done. He wasn't ever going to do you any real harm, but he had to make sure you understood the danger we were in. It was a miracle we survived, Ferdinand. It's always a miracle."

-----------

Sam spoke out into the thoughtful silence first.

"I understand why you threatened Colburn," she said, "but you still haven't explained why you were willing to go through with being court-martialled. You could have lost everything you had here at the SGC."

Jack looked at her, eyes weary and wise. "I'd had enough," he said simply.

"Enough of Colburn?" asked Sam. She knew him too well to fear he'd had enough of Gate travel. She very much doubted if he'd ever tire of that.

"Enough of Colburn, enough of his dad, enough of the Government treating us like an optional extra," Jack replied with a wave of his hand. "What front-line military base do you know that has to entertain the son of a Chief of Staff just to keep the lights on?"

It was a good point. Most levels of Government had never regarded the SGC as a real battlefront. Its wars were fought elsewhere in the galaxy.

Sam sighed. "So what are we going to do?"

"You're not going to do anything," Jack answered with a stern look. "I'm not gonna let you get involved in this. You could still be called up as a witness."

"Not if we find a way to stop the trial from happening," Sam replied, matching his gaze. "We have to talk to General Hammond…"

Jack was already shaking his head. "Not gonna happen. He's in a tough enough position as it is."

"Colonel." It was Sam's turn to be uncompromising, her face set in a serious expression. "The SGC can't afford to lose you over something as trivial as this. There is more at stake than principle here."

Jack scowled. "Somehow, Carter, I don't think I need reminding of that."

"With respect, sir, I think you do."

His stormy eyes darkened and he opened his mouth to issue a scathing reply; Sam was ready to answer it, tense and determined. The threatening argument was halted by Daniel's timely arrival.

"Sorry to interrupt, guys." His cheerful smile and wry tone suggested otherwise. "Colburn's asking to speak to you both." At Jack's expression, he added hastily: "To _apologise_."

Tossing an accusing look at Sam, Jack stood up. "This better be good."

----------

"Major Carter. Colonel O'Neill."

Ferdinand Colburn's tentative greeting was met with a curt nod from Sam and an icy glare from Jack. Daniel resumed his seat on the next bed; Teal'c, who had not moved from his position as sentry, gave his friends a gracious head-nod.

"I'm sorry," Ferdinand sighed, dropping his gaze to the bedclothes. "I've been dumb, Jack, real dumb."

"Yes." Jack's tone was low, his words slow and deliberately drawn-out. "You have."

Ferdinand gave a guilty little shrug. "Sorry," he said again before turning to Sam. "And sorry to you, too, Major. I was out of line trying to be smart. I'm sorry about the burns, too."

Sam nodded but couldn't quite bring herself to reply. Ferdinand continued:

"You've got to understand, I was so desperate for this to work. If I could've made it as a functioning member of an SG team, I could've finally shown my father that I was worth something."

Jack was incensed. "Hey, this is no way to try and prove yourself, pal!" he snapped, taking a emphatic step forwards.

"I know," Ferdinand replied quickly; "I do, I know it, but I didn't know it then. I thought you guys were just some wacky Air Force unit that saved the Earth a coupla times."

"A _couple_? Listen, son…"

"Jack," Daniel warned, and from it earned a sharp look.

"I didn't understand what you do, how important your work is," Ferdinand continued, seeming not to take any notice. "Doctor Jackson made me realise that I have face up to my own mistakes. I convinced my father to give me this chance, so I really can't blame anyone but myself." He took a breath and raised his head to survey the assembled members of SG-1. His gaze settled on Jack.

"So I'm dropping the charges," Ferdinand told him. "I probably deserved to be shot, anyway."

"No argument there," Jack muttered. Sam sent him a glance and he replied with a guilty, "What?"

"My father wanted me to write an official report on my experiences at Stargate Command," Ferdinand went on. "And I'm going to. I'm going to make sure everyone knows how vital your work is."

Jack wasn't quite sure what to make of that. Ferdinand gave a hopeful smile and Jack found himself responding with, "Er, thanks. We really appreciate that." He cleared his throat before continuing: "Y'know, if you want to start proving yourself, you should start doing it on your own time – not ours and not your father's. Be who you wanna be. If you're not cut out for the military, go do something you actually enjoy."

Ferdinand let out a relieved laugh. "Yeah. Sounds like good advice, Jack."

"Of course it is," Jack replied, allowing himself half a smile. "You just make sure you listen to it this time."

"I'll do my best!" Ferdinand grinned with a light-hearted salute. Jack rolled his eyes.

"And do me a favour, Colburn," he said, making his way towards the door.

"Sure," the young man replied brightly; "anything."

"Never, ever ask to come on a mission with me again."

* * *

**End.**


End file.
